Sanctuary Of Roses (Book II in the Medieval Herb Garden series) by Colleen Gleason reminded me of an Old Skool historical romance. It features a brooding, emotionally unavailable hero, a plucky, remarkably beautiful heroine, and a dollop of historical color and detail. For all that, I found my reaction to this book to be lukewarm. The book is set in 1142 and opens with Gavin Mal Verne and his men seeking sanctuary after being wounded in … Continue reading Sanctuary Of Roses by Colleen Gleason →
In Zoe Archer's books, there are rules and limits, there are extraordinary things that happen, and there are characters that are unique. But the story and the people within it are always grounded in a place that is consistent and intelligent. I have a solid sense of trust that while the people and their abilities might be incredible, because they are Archer's characters, I believe in them, and in the world they inhabit. Sweet Revenge … Continue reading Sweet Revenge by Zoe Archer →
Alternate title: “Don't mind me, I'm just a Duke having an existential crisis.” Anyway, we are here to talk about the conclusion to Caroline Linden’s The Truth About the Duke trilogy, The Way to a Duke’s Heart. I have utterly enjoyed this trilogy and not just because Linden is one of my favorites. The Truth About the Duke is that many years before he improbably inherited the Duchy of Durham, Frances de Lacey married an … Continue reading The Way to a Duke’s Heart by Caroline Linden →
I really loved The Lass Wore Black by Karen Ranney, like I-should-be-working-but-I’m-gonna-read liked it. I found myself stealing whatever snippets of time I could to finish the novel. To top it off, it’s a Beauty and the Beast story, my favorite fairy tale trope. Now, I like my historical romances meaty (insert joke here) and filled with character-driven conflict. Ever since I read Pride and Prejudice as a teen, I’ve loved romances where the hero … Continue reading The Lass Wore Black by Karen Ranney →
This RITA® Reader Challenge 2013 review was written by Nita. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Historical Romance category. The summary: Eight years ago, Lieutentant Luke Ripton made a hasty wartime marriage-in-name-only to protect a young girl from a forced union and left her protected in a remote mountain convent. Now, Luke is Lord Ripton, but he has been unable to obtain an annullment. Which leaves him no choice but to … Continue reading RITA Reader Challenge: Bride by Mistake by Anne Gracie →
This RITA® Reader Challenge 2013 review was written by Emily N. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Historical Romance category. The summary: Can a Flame from the Past be Rekindled? Long ago, Sophie Lawrance chose prudence over passion, rejecting a rebellious young rogue for the sake of her family-no matter the ache it left in her heart. But after a specter from her father's past resurfaces, threatening to destroy all she … Continue reading RITA Reader Challenge: Too Dangerous to Desire by Cara Elliott →
I was talking about this book in recent podcasts, and was anticipating reading it because I was so curious about the setting in both location (England and Kenya) and the time period (early 1900s) – and because Willig writes lovely espionage mysteries. I expected this book to be good. It was. Sometimes my thoughts on a book don’t coalesce until days after I’ve finished it, and such was the case with The Ashford Affair. If … Continue reading The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig →
If I had to describe What Happens in Scotland by Jennifer McQuiston in one sentence it would be this: the hero and heroine don’t really meet until page 140. Also there’s a lack of shoes, but more on that later. I really wanted to like this book. The premise is similar to The Hangover; a night of partying leads to confusion and regrets in the morning. The problem is, you can’t have a romance novel … Continue reading What Happens in Scotland by Jennifer McQuiston →
In honor of Charlotte Bronte's birthday (April 21, 1816), I present you with a Jane Eyre film and television adaptation round up. Of course there are many adaptations I haven't listed here. Interestingly, none of the adaptations I've seen or heard of seem very off the wall. While Pride and Prejudice seems to adapt well to different times and places, poor Jane is firmly regulated to the Victorian Age, except in adaptations that use her … Continue reading Jane Eyre Round-Up: A Guest Review by CarrieS →
The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After costs $9 at Barnes and Noble. That's the sale price. And you know what really burns me up? The ending of Violet in Bloom, the very novella that I bought the damn book for, was a total let down. I am so annoyed. By now I've read so many books about the Bridgertons and their friends and their thirteenth cousins three times removed that they all blend together. I remember … Continue reading The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn →
I was so excited about this book. After reading most of Kate Noble’s previous historical romances and recommending them to people who had historical London romance fatigue, I was hopping in my chair eager to read this book. It wasn’t as oh-my-gosh-good-book-sigh-for-two-hours as other books of Noble’s that I’ve loved, but it was still wonderfully intelligent and unique historical romance. While the emotional connection between the hero and heroine sometimes disappointed me, the setting and … Continue reading Let It Be Me by Kate Noble →
